Baltimore Ravens fans’ hearts stopped late in the first half of Thursday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals when star safety Kyle Hamilton suffered a non-contact injury and needed help off the field.
Fortunately, it looks like the Ravens avoided the worst-case scenario. While Hamilton did not return to this game, head coach John Harbaugh revealed in his postgame presser that the All-Pro safety suffered just an ankle sprain and the injury is “not serious.”
“It’s an ankle sprain.” Coach Harbaugh with a status update on Kyle Hamilton: pic.twitter.com/cGcBKSskvs
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 8, 2024
Harbaugh added that he doesn’t know how long Hamilton will be out for, which probably means he’ll miss at least one game but is far better than it could’ve been.
Hamilton, the No. 14 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has established himself as one of the cornerstone pieces of the Ravens’ defense. He earned his first career All-Pro selection last season, and he’s still playing outstanding ball this season with 67 total tackles, five passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Baltimore’s defense has largely been a disappointment this season, but Hamilton has been a bright spot, even with some hiccups along the way.
Of course, Hamilton’s greatest strength is his nearly-unrivaled versatility. He can play deep, he can play in the box, he can play as a nickel back and pretty much everything in between. That level of versatility makes him a dream player for any defensive coordinator, let alone one in his first season like Zach Orr is.
The Ravens’ secondary has rightfully taken a lot of heat this season, especially the safeties without the last name Hamilton. Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson have both been benched, and Ar’Darius Washington has had his ups and downs. After Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase victimized the secondary yet again, scoring all three of his touchdowns coming after Hamilton’s departure, that criticism is going to continue. As such, the Ravens hope to have Hamilton back out there as soon as possible.
Baltimore has a few extra days of rest following this game, with its next game coming against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 17.